I'm seriously considering purchasing an 06 xterra and was wondering about the urban driving. How is it switching lanes in traffic? Parallel parking? I have read that the blind spots aren't bad so I'm assuming changing lanes etc isn't bad. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks

First things first, welcome.

Secondly, have you ever driven an suv or truck before?

Power steering is great and responsive enough to grab holes when they appear. The 265 horses are more than enough to power the beast into a hole. Disk brakes on all four corners for assistance not running over idiot in front of you. This truck has great vision and it was one of the primary reasons that I bought this truck rather than the Toyota FJ cruiser with it's "worlds largest C pillars" and poor front vision to match.

Parallel parking is a piece of cake.

I've driven a 92 pathfinder for about 6 years now. The newer xterra's are slightly bigger. I don't have any problems driving it currently, but it's ready to die anytime now I'm sure because it's got 300k on it. I was just curious how it was maneuvering in urban areas and in traffic.

300k ... miles? Wow! I suggest you have the poor thing euthanized rather than die by natural causes.

If my Xterra holds out to 300k that means, at the rate I drive, I'll need to leave it in my will since it is sure to outlive me!!

_Lazza

Handles potholes well.

I live in Queens. It's handled the worst streets new york has to offer like a champ. But city mileage isn't great obviously. It has enough power to get you out of trouble and around awful drivers. I had a honda accord before the X and I find it just as easy to parallel park. I can't take turns as quick or as sharply as I'd like but it comes with the territory. I hope you decide to get one and good luck!

You can't find a better SUV for the money than the new X's. Gas mileage sucks everything else is amazing.

Gas mileage in city driving is poor, but the truck is fine from an agility sense.

FWIW, my wife wouldn't drive the Chevy Avalanche I used to own; she has no problem driving the X.

ed

Live in NYC also, and agree. Hiway gas mileage is better then sticker, city driving is pure hell on mileage. If you do a whole tank in city traffice, figure about 11-12 miles a gallon.
Parking is easy. Truck is a tough going over all the pot holes and city imperfections.
I got some small mirrors to add to side view, and I am very pleased with them. No blind spots with the extra mirror.

Stay safe

andreakobe44,

I drove an 94 Pathfinder for 11 years before going to the 05 X. As far as "urban driving" stuff you're asking about - the new X was a huge improvement in every way - more power and better stability for lane changes. The suspension seems way tighter than the old pathy - no nearly as much lean and roll when cornering. Actually in general the X seems tighter than most of the other trucks I've driven.

One cool thing - since the tail gate is more staight up and down, you can get more big boxy stuff in the cargo area. Seems like frequently in the Pathy, since the rear gate was angled, I'd shove a box in there only to find the tailgate couldn't close. Of course, the rear glass on the pathy would open, which would help sometimes...

Anyway - I could ramble on all afternoon about the stuff my 2nd gen X has over the old pathy (and I loved that truck) but I'll shut up now.

Just get it!!!

Driving is ok, you will have a problem if you have to park in a parking garage. A lot of them are not tall enough for the X.

What kind of parking garages do you have around you? I have a ski carrier on my X and have no problem parking in in them.

I haven't had any issues with my Xterra at public garages, albeit I don't use them often. But I have had problems with my own garage (!). Clearance for my Xterra might be only 3-4", and my Xterra only has the standard roof rack. In the event of a power failure, like the 2 hour failure experienced yesterday, I need someone to hold the up the garage door so I can enter/exit. In other words, when the garage door is open and is "resting" but not 100% retracted with the help of the electric garage door opener the garage door sags a few inches, just an inch or so too low for my Xterra.

Overall this is just a quirky annoyance that my neighbors find amusing when I ask them to help me get my Xterra out from the garage!

_Lazza

+1 on the parking garage situation: Washington DC has some older parking garages that max out at 6' clearance or so. I would imagine that NYC would have similar issues.

ed

I can see some garages causing prob's. I've never experienced it and I have Hella 500's on top too. So I need an additonal 6-8 inches. (Luckily if I DID have a problem, 2 screws and my light bar is off.) I also have about 4-6 inches of clearance in my own garage.

Keep an eye on your clearance though. Some garages are lower than others and our trucks are just high enough that in some garages we'll clear, others we won't, as many have said.

-G

Mine actually did well for parking garages, especially with my lift on. never driven in NYC, but San Fran, yep managed.

Good luck on ur purchase.

I hope you didn't find out about that the hard way! If you did catch it with out having to drive into it - well done!

Personally I haven't had any trouble with garage clearance.

No, thankfully I didn't find out the hard way but I confess I wasn't particularly clever in detecting the situation. My prior vehicle, a 1997 Ford Exploder, was able to fit through the sagging garage door with the exception of the radio antenna (since the antenna was flexible I was able to drive the car through okay). So after getting my Xterra, an obviously taller vehicle, I was suspicious about the lack of clearance.

_Lazza